Halo: The Search
by KinzlerIzAThug
Summary: The year is 2565, and ever since the end of the Human-Covenant war, there have been reports from the outer Colonies of a new threat, and the location of the Master Chief.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Spartan… you do realize that what you did came at a great cost… you realize that you cost the UNSC the three of the best Spartan 4's that have been enlisted since I reinstated the Spartan program that my mother started, correct?" said Dr. Anna Halsey, to the Spartan she was addressing.

The Spartan she was addressing nodded solemnly, and removed her helmet surprising the doctor, who quickly hid the surprise on her face, because she had expected the Spartan that committed the deed was male, not female. "Ma'am with all due respect it was not completely my fault for the loss of my team… and I have a name you know… its Alys" The Spartan stated, not making eye contact with her accuser.

Dr. Halsey shook her head and started shuffling through the files on her desk, containing details of what Alys had been blamed for. "Alright Alys, if you say that the 'Incident' as we shall call it, where is your proof, or evidence?"

Alys shifted her weight and looked down at the papers Halsey was going through. "For one Ma'am, those papers didn't experience what happened, they don't know every detail, or have any clue whatsoever," She was becoming defensive, and she realized it, but to be blamed for the death of your squad mate's is where she drew the line. '_She has no clue what happened that night, how everything just fell apart, how she had single-handedly managed to fall to shit' _she thought to herself, choosing her next words carefully "and if you'll permit me to explain what happened-"

"WE HAVE THE RECORDS RIGHT HERE!" Halsey interrupted, "they state while you and your team were in combat, you deserted them right then and there!" Halsey was becoming more and more impatient with Alys, and she was tired of hearing these lies flow from the lips of a deserter and she was going to put a stop to it.

Alys shook her head dejectedly, and just looked at the floor to hide her anger, "Ma'am please, I didn't do any of that, I swear I stood by my team and fought, we were just outnumbered 7-1 by Zealot class Elites with heavy artillary, and with those odds we knew we were going to die, but before they died, I was given a single order by my superior officer to retreat, he told all of us to and we listened, but when we turned around, there were more cloaked Elites… that's when Damian, Erik, and Destin looked at me, and Destin, he… he told me…he told me to run… to survive…and…" she trailed off trying to stop herself from crying, but she couldn't help it, she let loose all the sadness she had been hiding since that night three days ago.

Anna Halsey sat there watching as Alys cried, now normally being a Halsey meant that she was supposed to have a heart of steel, and in regular circumstances she would, but in this case she gave in. "Listen," she said as Alys tried to calm herself "I believe instead of a court marshal we can work out an arrangement of some sort."

Alys didn't respond for another minute or two and Halsey sat calmly waiting for a response. After a bit Alys looked back up at Halsey, "Ma'am if there is any way to redeem myself without one I'll take it…" she looked up from the floor to see that Anna had stood up and was next to her, '_I need this, I need to redeem myself for my team, for Destin…_'.

Next thing Alys knew, Dr. Halsey turned to her desk and after a bit of searching found a file, opened it, flipped through it, then handed it to Alys, "Here, read this file to get up to date, and report to the UNSC base in New Mombasa."

Alys took the folder with a renewed vigor that was easily spotted by the doctor, and she smiled "Listen Alys, the mission should you choose to go on it, is not one that will be easy for you, there will be times that will test you to the limit of your abilities. Are you up to that?"

Alys looked Dr. Halsey straight in the eye and nodded. "Yes ma'am, I'm ready…"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Alys walked out of Dr. Halseys office with the folder in hand, and began to read it as she walked down the hall, her helmet tucked under one arm. She ignored the other people in the hall, ignoring then when they tried to say something to her. '_So let's see what kind of mission we have here…Operation Master Retrieval? What's that supposed to mean?' _She thought to herself as she flipped through the files numerous papers_. 'Anything else worth knowing…let's see…Team members: me, Senior Chief Nova Xander Cross Z-114E, Petty Chief Noble Alyx Hiragushai S-16, Petty Officer Blake Cariano D-157, and Petty Sergeant Garnet Helion D-666…sounds like a pretty impressive crew to me..'_

Alys walked through Oni building not looking up from the folder, out to the Heli-pad, where there was a pelican waiting for her. "Ahh, about time you show up Spartan, we've been waiting for you…" Said a jet black, and sapphire Spartan from the pelican as Alys sat down across from him "Welcome to Noble 13… or as everyone likes to call It 'Hell's Nobility'" Said another Spartan sitting right across from the first, this one was green with flames carved into his EVA visor.

Alys looked around the pelican at the other Spartans "Name's Alys, Field Marshall…you must be Senior Chief Nova Xander…" she said to the black Spartan, "and you must be Petty Chief Noble Alyx." The green Spartan nodded and leaned forward to shake her hand, and so did Xander. "Hey what are we…chopped liver or something?" Said a brown and gold Spartan, gesturing to the white Spartan across from him, then he reached out to shake Alys's hand. "Petty Officer Blake, that's me…and this goof here is Petty Sergeant Garnet."

"Ok, now that the introductions are all finished, you know what are mission is right?" Xander said once everyone was done talking. They all nodded and turned their attention to the holographic projection that appeared from a small table that rose up from the aisle. It showed a planet that looked similar to Reach. "This is the planet Onyx…apparently ever since the Chief went missing, ONI satellites amazingly…managed to pick up a faint signal from the other half of the _Forward unto Dawn_, and apparently it crashed into the planet and he survived in the cryo pod-"

"Wait wait wait…you mean that after 25 years we JUST NOW pick up the _Dawns_ transmission," said Blake, suddenly jumping up and sticking his hand through the holo-screen at Xander. "ESPECIALLY SINCE-"

"BLAKE!" Alyx interrupted "shut up we don't talk about Xander and his, ummmmm…father" then he sat back down and shook his head. Alys looked confusedly from Blake to Xander, and then back to Blake. "Ya, that's right Alys….Chiefs my father…it's a long story…"

"We got time Xan, were not even close to the LZ" said the pilot looking over her shoulder at Xander.

"Fine," Xander said looking down "it all started like this…"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"I was born about three or four months before he disappeared…" Xander began "My mother was a refugee at a camp in New Mombasa…apparently my mother somehow managed to sweet talk him enough to…well, you know..."

Alys looked from Xander to the holographic projection of the Chief, then said "Xander…he was probably one of the most stoic people in history, how could he just suddenly…I mean he NEVER even took off his Armor from what I hear…"

"Alys let me finish" Xander sighed, looked up at the holo-screen and then back at the floor "My mother…she well…she was a Spartan too…she was posted at that refugee camp as a security measure…"

25 Years Earlier…

"John?" said a maroon and white Spartan, looking up from where she sat to the entrance of the small tent "Is it really you? It's me Janice, you know…from the program?"

The Master Chief looked at her, and nodded "Yes, I remember you." Then he walked in and stood across the table from Alice. "You were never one to relax, were you?" Alice laughed "it's safe here you know I mean hell john, you can take off the helmet…" she pulled off her helmet after she said this and looked at the chief, who looked down at the table, and said in barely a whisper "You know what I look like Janice…I'm a goddamn killing machine, now can you please tell me why I'm here…"

Janice shook her head, and reached for a folder sitting next to her, and held it out to the Chief as he sat across from her. "John, you don't have to leave yet…I mean…i-if you want, maybe we can talk for awhile? You-"

"Janice you know I can't…not after what happened four years ago at the facility…you remember…" Chief replied, yanking the folder from her hands. Janice stood up and looked at the Chief "John, please the facility was just me being desperate…please can we just catch up on the times."

This time the Chief stood up and stormed out of the room, Janice ran after him and found him on the 5th floor where she yelled "GOD DAMNIT JOHN QUIT ACTING LIKE AN ASSHOLE! THE ONLY REASON YOU ACT THE WAY YOU DO IS BECAUSE YOUR TIRED OF HOW YOU ACT," she ran up to him and punched him when she reached him, knocking him to the ground "the reason is because you're tired of being labeled hyper-lethal, you're tired of killing I can hear it in your voice... then she punched him again, cracking his visor. _'I deserve this…she's right…I don't want to kill, I want to be done with this damn war'._

"ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME YOU PIECE OF SHIT? DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME NOW? YOU'RE SUCH AN IDIOT!" Janice yelled still punching the chief, his visor was cracked so much that pieces were missing from it and dents appeared all over. "Yes…I hear you…you're right ok. You win your right I don't want to fight, I'm tired of killing ok, but I have to, every time I see blood I just…"

"John, stop ok. I know, they pushed you too hard, they broke your mind with all the training…" Janice said getting off of the chief, and helping him up just as a crowd of marines came running down the hall. "Janice, please…let's just go" the Chief said walking through the crowd of marines, and into his room four doors down, followed by Janice.

Current time…

"You see now?" Xander sighed, looking down at the ground, shaking his head. Alys looked at him and then put her arm around him "Listen, Xander your not a bad person because your father was the Chief, matter of fact I'd actually be proud of that."

"It's not that…I grew up never knowing him...anyways we need to focus on the task at hand not my childhood and past."

A voice crackled over the intercom "Good timing Chief, we just arrived at base."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The Pelican began to lurch and there was a soft _thunk _sound as they landed on solid ground. Alys grabbed her assault rifle and pistol from a weapons rack situated toward the cockpit, followed closely by her team members.

"Xander, you shouldn't be holding a grudge against your father," Alys whispered as Xander walked by her. "if i were you, I'd accept what happened, its not your fault you know…"

Xander looked sternly at Alys as he grabbed his helmet "Easier said than done…" He then turned toward the door, pulled the release and stepped down out of the Pelican.

Alys followed suit, feeling the tension that had been created by Xander and his past. She put her helmet on and instantly felt at home once her visor's HUD had appeared. She looked around at her surroundings, and noticed that her team were heading toward what looked like the command tent.

"About time you damn Spartans got here. Gather 'round and let's get you all debriefed and out of here." Mumbled a gruff looking man standing in front of a long table full of folders, and papers.

Alys, Nova, Alyx, Blake, and Garnet introduced themselves, snapping to attention instinctively, the man waved it off, and motioned them to come closer to the table, which they did.

Alright, so...this is the "_famous_" Spartan team "Hells Nobility" well here's what we're up against-" Began the man, before Xander cut in, saying "Sir, are you the commanding officer of this camp?"

The man looked at Xander and shook his head "For an _"Elite_" Spartan force you sure don't seem to be up to date on your debriefing skills," He mumbled again. "I'll forgive you just this once, I am Captain Forbes...and that's all you need to know."

Alys looked from Xander, waiting to see how he would retaliate, only to see him nod slightly and mumble "Sorry sir". Alys heard both Blake and Garnet let out a stifled giggle, only to end up trying to cover their laughter by coughing.

"ANYWAYS," Captain Forbes yelled "The mission at hand is to retrieve whatever is at the end of the emergency transmission that we just recently picked up. The strange thing is...is that the transmission is coming from the Forward Unto Dawn." Forbes said as he punched a button on the screen set into the table, initiating the transmission.

"_Mayday, mayday, mayday. This is UNSC FFG-201 Forward Unto Dawn, requesting immediate evac. Survivors aboard. Prioritization code: Victor Zero Five dash Three dash Sierra Zero One One Seven._"

"The AI managed to send a looping transmission? How is that possible?" Garnet blurted out in a surprising tone.

"Especially since the normal lifespan of an AI like the one the Chief had is about 7 years...and it's been about eight or nine years since he disappeared" Alyx said, as the transmission began to replay itself.

"Which is why we're sending you all to investigate. The transmission was picked up in Epoloch System. which we originally thought was just part of an asteroid belt. turns out it's part of a Forerunner Shield World, we have no data on the planet, so whatever information you learn about the planet is to be relayed to us immediately, Understood?" Forbes said, pressing multiple keys on the screen, bringing up multiple screens full of information, the Spartans nodding as he debriefed them.

After they were debriefed, the Captain sent them out of the tent to gather whatever materials they needed before they left. So the Spartans decided to head toward the mess hall to eat before gathering their supplies. When they walked up to the mess hall's tent they were greeted by the whispers and mumbling of the nearby soldiers.

"So Alys, tell us more about yourself." Blake said, grabbing a tray, being handed to him by one of the cooks, and following his team towards a table, and sitting across from Alys.

"Nothing much to tell," Alys said pulling off her helmet, and placing it next to her tray "I was actually forced to join the new Spartan program...well, more like I felt like I needed to show my family that I could amount to something, being the youngest of 3 siblings, all who were male."

"Aaahh, another member of the "_You'll never be like you brothers"_ club, eh?" Garnet said, picking at his food as he listened to Alys.

Alys nodded, and continued her story, telling them about her years of training, and how she had lost two of her brothers to war, how she had watched them get stabbed by Covenant Elites, and how her oldest brother had yelled at her to run, just before he was cut in two by an Elites plasma sword.

"Damn," Alyx said, leaning on his helmet "that's harsh…but why continue to serve in the UNSC?"

"No idea...they tried sending me home before for medical leave, due to PTSD, and other things...but i constantly fought them...and, well...here I am." Alys said, quietly picking up her tray and walking off to deposit it at the dishwashing station.


End file.
